Jimothy, a round raccoon found in Seattle on July 13, 2026, has become a viral meme. Game studios and fans have created tributes in World of Warcraft, Old School RuneScape, Dead by Daylight, The Sims, Halo, Among Us, and more. Fan-made content includes a browser game, a Stardew Valley pet mod, and a Minecraft add-on.
The remake of the 2002 FPS Halo: Combat Evolved, titled Halo: Campaign Evolved, released on July 29, 2026 for Xbox Series X|S and PS5. The original established twin-stick gamepad controls and auto-recovering shields, and its PS5 availability means many players will meet Halo for the first time. The reviewer says the remake's new features make the old memories fresher and more fun, but also flags some points of concern.
Publisher Xbox Game Studios and developer Halo Studios have started early access for 'Halo: Campaign Evolved,' a full remake of the first Halo game built in Unreal Engine 5. Early access, a benefit of the Premium Edition, allows play up to five days before the official release on July 29 at 0:00 JST. The remake supports online cooperative play for up to four players for the first time in the series, and includes cross-platform play across PC (Microsoft Store and Steam), PS5, and Xbox Series X|S. A launch trailer accompanied the early access start. A separate graphics comparison video from YouTube channel ElAnalistaDeBits shows the visual evolution from the 2001 original through the 2011 'Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary' remaster to the 2026 remake, noting that the UE5 version rebuilds environments from scratch with altered object shapes and rock placements, more realistic water transparency, and metallic vehicle finishes. The remake also supports Xbox Game Pass.
The week of July 27 to August 2, 2026, sees a slate of major releases across platforms. Leading the lineup is 'Halo: Campaign Evolved', a Unreal Engine 5 remake of the original 2001 campaign, launching July 29 on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S at 7,900 yen. It includes 10 original missions plus three new ones, 4-player online co-op with cross-play, and a Campaign Remix mode with randomized modifiers. Early reviews are positive, with Metascores of 81 on PS5 and 84 on Xbox Series X as of July 26, though the lack of competitive multiplayer drew some criticism. Also releasing July 30 is 'Xenoblade Chronicles 2 Nintendo Switch 2 Edition', an enhanced version for the new console. The same day sees the extraction shooter 'Mistfall Hunter' on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S, along with 'BLUE REFLECTION Quartet: The Miracle of the Girls' (7,480 yen), 'Culdcept the First', 'Volcano Princess', 'TATSUJIN EXTREME', and 'Honoboshi no Niwa'. On July 31, dark fantasy action RPG 'The Relic: First Guardian' arrives on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S. The week's releases span genres from FPS and RPG to puzzle and simulation, with several titles also available on Nintendo Switch and Switch 2.
Microsoft announced the Xbox Game Pass and PC Game Pass lineup for late July through early August 2026 on July 21. The slate includes seven titles total, five of which are day-one releases. Game Freak's new action RPG Beast of Reincarnation arrives on August 4, blending real-time and turn-based combat in a post-apocalyptic Japan. Halo: Campaign Evolved, a ground-up Unreal Engine 5 remake of the original Halo: Combat Evolved, launches on July 28 with new prequel missions, online co-op for up to four players, and additional weapons and vehicles. Other day-one titles include the cooperative horror game Shift at Midnight (July 22), the PvPvE extraction action game Mistfall Hunter (July 30), and the pirate city-building game Corsair Cove (July 31, PC only). The lineup also includes the action-adventure Hell is Us (July 23) and the enhanced FPS compilation Heretic + Hexen (August 4). The announcement also noted that Zenless Zone Zero version 3.1 on July 29 will reset login rewards for Game Pass members.
NVIDIA announced NVIDIA Halos for Robotics, a full-stack safety system for physical AI and robots. The system spans hardware, software, and sensor layers, building on the Halos architecture previously used for autonomous vehicles. Agility is the first adopter, integrating safety features into humanoid robots deployed at Amazon, GXO, Schaeffler, and Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada.
Microsoft has opened pre-orders for the package version of Halo: Campaign Evolved on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. The remake of Halo: Combat Evolved includes modernized graphics, revamped cinematics, three new missions, and a pre-order bonus featuring the Mark V Mjolnir armor. The game supports cross-play and cross-progression for up to four players.
On June 11, new gameplay footage for Halo: Campaign Evolved, a remake of the 2002 original, was released. The video highlights a third-person perspective option, 42 collectible Skulls, a Campaign Remix mode with random elements, and sharper graphics. The game launches July 28 on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S, with day-one Game Pass availability.
Microsoft announced during the Xbox Games Showcase 2026 on June 8 that Halo Studios' remake of the original Halo: Combat Evolved, titled Halo: Campaign Evolved, will release on July 28, 2026. The game is a full remake of the campaign mode, rebuilt in Unreal Engine 5, and will be available on PC (Steam and Microsoft Store), PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S. It will also be included in Xbox and PC Game Pass from day one. The remake adds three new bonus missions under the operation name 'Operation: Meteorite', featuring Master Chief and Sergeant Johnson, with new environments, gameplay, and enemies. Nine iconic weapons from across the Halo series have been added to the arsenal. Other improvements include higher resolution, revamped cinematics, refined controls, and a completely new sound design with a remastered soundtrack. The game supports solo play and online co-op for up to four players, with cross-play and cross-progression. Japanese text and audio are planned. Pre-ordering the Premium Edition grants early access five days before launch.